Thursday 18:30 – 20:00
Classical pugilism, or in our context British bare-knuckle boxing, can trace its recorded origins as a sport back to the late 17th/early 18th century. The first bare-knuckle champion of England was James Figg in 1719, a title he held until he retired in 1730. From then on the sport proved to be exceptionally popular amongst the working and upper classes alike up to the publication of the Marquess of Queensberry Rules in 1867 that effectively drove the sport to the brink of extinction.
At the York School of Defence we are specifically interested in the bare-knuckle boxing side of pugilism and its associated arts of chancery and purring. Chancery is a grappling and wrestling component that was a large part of early prize-fights, whilst purring refers to a basic form of kicking that was also allowed. Initially rules were non-existent other than those agreed by the fighters before the bout, indeed there are records of fighters throwing their opponents clean off the stage or out of the arena.
We are very much aware that we are studying this exceptionally violent art in the 21st century so everything we do is careful, precise and controlled. We work on technique, pad work, partner drill and study techniques from 18th and 19th century manuals written by prize-fighters, and there are opportunities to spar with your skills for those that wish to. All sparring is done with the use of a full-face headguard for safety and force levels can be tailored to your comfort level.
As well as British historical boxing we also study French savate as the two arts are often deeply connected. Savate, also known as Boxe Français, is a hybrid sport that combines punching and kicking, although historically the focus was very much more on the use of the feet than of the hands. There are many apocryphal stories that circulate regarding the origins of savate, although it does seem clear that in various forms of the sport throughout history punches were often disallowed with only kicks featuring.
This sole focus on kicking seems to have been abandoned in the 19th century, potentially due to cross-pollination with British boxing. Like boxing, savate has evolved into a modern sport that bears some resemblance to its original form. We purely focus on the historical aspects of the sport from its inception through the various different forms and offshoots that occured throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Together pugilism and savate make an excellent combination, as many boxers, savateurs and prize fighters found out for themselves in many a music hall or exhibition fight.